CK Tan in [#1] Worship Buddha, not statue [/#] (March 12), misses the point entirely. The issue is not about idol worship or even about religion. The Bamiyan statues were valuable relics of an ancient past that should be preserved for the enjoyment and enrichment of future generations. They were unique in the world for their size and an awesome reminder that an ancient civilisation could create such imposing statues 2,000 years ago.

The statues were not even objects of worship in this age. Even if they were worshipped in the past, can we change history by destroying physical structures that symbolise that history? Future generations may visit the statues not to worship them but to gawk at their size and antiquity. Do we have the right to deprive them of that joy?

There are many wonders in the world that are unique, awesome and irreplaceable, some man-made, some natural. The pyramids of Egypt, the statues of Easter Island, the Great Wall of China are examples. Structures created by the ancient are especially worth preserving as they are physical mementoes of our rich cultural heritage. They provide a glimpse of a bygone era and evoke a sense of wonder in us. They are also an invaluable source of academic research and understanding into past cultures and people.

Can all the resources in the world buy back these magnificent statues once they have been destroyed? We could build a replica of them, but they would just be replicas. Nothing can bring back the original, built from ancient stone by the hands and tools of ancient people living thousands of years ago. Like a copy of the Mona Lisa, it loses its lustre and ability to awe us as if its very soul is gone.

The past is important to us. It anchors our existence in the present and provide a perspective to the future. What would your life be if you have no past to refer back to? You may as well be drifting meaninglessly in the river of life with no childhood, no people and no places in your memory to give meaning to your present.

The writer, in his quest for spirituality, should not miss the forest for the trees. True spirituality encompasses an appreciation and understanding of yourself and your environment. It is a compassion and tolerance for everything in life including practices and viewpoints which do not match your own. I am sure the enlightenment that you seek does not include wanton destruction of artifacts which may be appreciated and enjoyed by others. If you can rise above your narrow view of the Bamiyan statues as mere idols of worship and see them for the cultural treasure that they represent, then you too will understand that they are worth preserving.